San Francisco Theological Seminary offers a Doctor of Ministry with special emphasis on Pastoral Care and Counseling, under the supervision of Associate Professor of Pastoral Counseling R. Scott Sullender, Ph.D. This program is fully accredited by the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC). As well as earning an academic degree from one of the leading theological institutions in the western United States, graduates of this program are eligible for certified AAPC membership. The program may be completed in one of two formats. To see these options, click here.

Overview
The Doctor of Ministry with special emphasis in Pastoral Care and Counseling is a three-year program that prepares religious professionals to practice care and counseling at a high degree of competency and professionalism by:

• Integrating spirituality and counseling
• Improving the skills of effective counseling
• Sharpening research and reflective skills
• Facilitating personal growth
• Providing seasoned professional teachers in an atmosphere of dialogue between theory and practice.

Primarily, this program is designed for professionals who serve or plan to serve in a context of ministry, such as chaplains, pastoral care specialists, pastoral counselors, or pastors with a special focus on care and counseling.

Our Learning Style
This program is unique in its dual emphasis on both academic learning and clinical learning, and a constant interplay between theory and practice.  You might say that pastoral care and counseling is both a science and an art.  We aim to teach students both!

Throughout the program, students counsel parishioners from their churches, other ministry settings, and the community. Students present their clinical material in group or individual supervision, according to the standards and guidelines of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC).  After completing 375 supervised hours of counseling, students may apply for AAPC Certified Pastoral Counselor membership.

Resource Seminars:  Normally, the course work in the Doctor of Ministry program is taught in the format of doctoral level seminars, where student participation and responsibility for learning are maximized.  For more details, see the “curriculum” page below.

Prerequisites for Admission
Basic admission requirements include a three- or four-year Master of Divinity degree (or its equivalent) with a 3.0 GPA or above from an accredited university; ecclesiastical endorsement for one’s ministry; at least one unit of clinical pastoral education (CPE) or its equivalent; and at least three years of experience in some form of ministry.  Other requirements are listed on the “admissions and tuition” page below.

For more specific or personalized questions, contact:

R. Scott Sullender, PhD
Associate Professor of Pastoral Counseling
800-447-8820 ext. 867
ssullender@sfts.edu